Electrically-operated starting device.



7 11. H. BROWN. BLEGTRIGALLY OPERATED STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1907.

Patented May 4,1909.

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HAROLD H. BROWN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED STARTING DE VICE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed July 27, 1907. Serial No. 386,804.

I vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Operated Starting Devices, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to an electrically controlled starting device for explosive engines by which the admission of compressed gas to a cylinder for the purpose of starting is regulated by means of a commutator in a suitable electric circuit, the current of which passes through a suitable device for controlng the admission of said gas to said cyliner at a predetermined time.

The invention further consists in suitable mechanism in which a current simulta neously operates an ignition device and an electrically controlled valve for regulating the admission of compressed air to the explosion chamber of the cylinder of the engine.

It consists further in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: l igure 1 represents a section ofa portion of a cylinder of an explosive engine and the valve for controlling the admission of compressed gas thereto, and Fig. 2 represents a wiring diagram of a four-cylinder engine embodying the principles of this invention.

Similar characters designate like )arts throughout the several figures of the rawin s.

in the drawings. 10 represents a cylinder of an ordinary hydrocarbon explosive engine in which is adapted to reciprocate the piston 11 in any well-known manner. Communicating with the upper end of the cylinder 10 is the explosion chamber 12 having a hydrocarbon inlet 13 and an exhaust 14 of any well-known construction both the inlet and the exhaust passages being controlled. by springopcrated valves 15 and 16.

An ignition plug 1.7 is screwed into the was ing of the cylinder 10 and is adapted to create a spark at a predetermined time to explode the mixture contained within the chamber 12. The top of the cylinder 10 has secured thereto an extension 18 in whicn is mounted a valve 19 operated normally by the spring 20 to retain the valve 19 to its seat and prevent the escape of any of the explosive mixture from the chamber 12 when the explosion takes place. The spring 20 is regulated by means of the nut 21 so that when the tension of the gas confined within the chamber 22 in the extension 18 exceeds the tension of the spring 20 the valve 19 will he opened to permit the gas contained within said chamber 22 to pass into the explosion chamber 12.

The chamber 22 is supplied with gas under pressure from any suitable tank (not shown) through a pipe 23 between which and the chamber 22 is interposed the closed cylinder 24 having mounted therein a balanced valve consisting of two reciprocating pistons 25 and 26 secured to a piston rod 27. The piston 25 is normally retained in the position shown in the drawings'by means of a s ring 28 thereby closing the inlet 29 to the 0 amber 22 from the chamber 30 of said cylinder 24.

'lhc piston rod 27 is mounted in hearings in the heads 31-32 of the cylinder 24 111 which the said rod is adapted to reciprocate. One end of the piston rod 27 has secured thereto a metal disk or armature 33 which is adapted to be controlled by means of the magnetic coil 34 surrounding the cylinder 24 whenever this magnetic coil is energized by means of a current oi electricity being passed therethrough.

When the electric current is passed through the coil the disk or armature 33 will be drawn toward the coil and against the tension of the. spring 28, thus opening the inlet 29 and permitting the compressed gas which has been admitted to the chamber 30 from the 23 to csca c into the chamber 22 where it will open. t 1e valve 19 and pass into the explosion chamber 12 and act upon the piston 11 to move it to the opposite end of the cylinder, thus effecting a starting thereof.

. The apparatus as shown in the accompanying drawing is designed to be used in connection with a four-cylinder engine, a wiring diagram of which is shown in Fig. 2. The ignition devices which control the explosion of the explosive mixture in each cylinder and the electrically controlled valves for regulating the admission of compressed air to start each 0 linder are all in the same electric circuit, t 1e electric current therefor being pro vidcd by a battery From the spark plug 17 of the cylinder 10 pipe a Wire 36 extends to a coil 37 from. which a Wire 88 extends to a brush 3i) ol a suitable distributor fill)- Wire ll hranchcs from the Wire 35 to the electrically cont rolled valve 34 of the engine 10. in like manner the hrushes i2, 43, and 44 are connected to the coils 37 and valves 34 ol the engines ll), ll)", and It)".

Wires 45 extend respectively lrom lhc coils 37 of the cylinders Hull), in, and it) to a wire it; which extends to the terminal 47 of a suit-able switch 45 the opposite terminal 49 of -which is coimected hy the wire I; to the battery .35, while the opposite end ol' maid battery connected by means of the Wire .31 to the distributor 40. in lllfl) manner each of the valves 3% ol the cylinders ill, In, H), and 10", conni'icted hy a wire 5; to the wire 1-h. vice 53 which is under tae. control ol' the op-- erator and which is adapted to he operated to make a circuit so that an the distrilnuer ll) revolves each ol' the coils -Ll will he energized to operate its valve and admit eoinpresed gas to the explosion chamber 1:. of its cylindex.

when it is desired to nlace the apparatus in commission the switch 48 is operated to connect with the terminal 49 and close the circuit between. the Wires ll and 50 so that as the distributor 4:0 revolves a current will he passed through the coil 3'] and at the proper time operate the spark plug to explode the explosive mixture contained with in the explosion chamber 12.

in startinp the engine should either one of the. cylinders contain an explosivemixture at the time oi starting the ignition device will explode i' e same and drive the piston l l to the opposite end of the cylinder 10. it is ohvious that when this occurs and the pressure is greater within the cylinder than that ol the Compressed air conlined within the chamber 22 or being admitted thereto, the check valve 19 Will he reta ilied upon its seat and will prevent the admission of any compressed air to the interior ol the cylinder. Should there be, however, no explosive mixture Within the explosion chamher 12 when tl i a )paratus is to be startcd the (airront passing through the coil 34 will move the piston 25 against the tension of the spring into uncover the inlet 29 and permit the comrn'essed gas to pass l'rom the source ol' supply through the pipe 2;; and ililct 3.) into the chamber 22 and cause an opening ol the valve .1.) against the tension of the wing 20, the (7()lll|)l'l t(l gas thus admitted being sullicient to l'orcc the piston to the opposite end ol' the cylinder and cllcctinp a starting of the engine. The operation is re )catud l'orthe other cylinder whenever the distributor 40 contacts with either one of the brushes Ill), 42, 43, and -l-l.

This device is particularly applicahlc for use on motor cars and secures a ready means of starting the engine \viiiiout cranking; and

In the Wire 52 is a make and hrcah dc- I without moving from the sent, it only being necessary. to place the switch 18 and the mal-ze and. brake device 53 in a position convenicni to the chaulleur sothathe mayopefan it readily without leaving his seat. In such a case it the switch. 48 he closed and an explosion occurs by means of the current passing through the ignition device thecnnines will he immediately started. it, however. no explosion occurs lor the reason that no cxplosivc mixture has been retained With- 3 in the explosion chamher l2, then by 0 werat inp; the push button 53 the engine will started in the manner described by the admission ol' compressed gas to the cylinder 10, causing ihe piston ll to he moved to its opposite extremity.

t is helicved that the operation of the invention will he thoroughly understood without l'urther description.

llavinp thus descrihcd my invention, I claim:

l. in a starting device for explosive engines, the comhination ol a plurality of cylindcrs each provided with an inlet for the ad- .niission ol an explosive mixture; an independent inlet to each cylinder for the adliiis'sion of a non-explosive compressed gas; dcviccs disl inct from the. mechanism for coni trolling; the admission ol the explosive mix- 1 lure l'or clcclricallv eonlrolling the admis ion ol compressed gas through said last i mentioned inlets; an ignition device for l each cylinder; a distrihutcr; a plurality ol l eonlact hrushes cooperating therewith; and a wire extending l'rom each hrush adapted to simuliain-ously energize hol'h the ignition dcvicc and compressed gas admission device 5 ha each cylinder at a preilelcrmincd. time.

3. in a starting dcvicc l'or explosive engines, the comhinal ion ol' a plurality ol cylinders each provided with an inlet for the admission of an cxplosivc mixture; an inde pendent inlcl to each cylinder for the adlliissimi ol a non-explosive compressed gas; dcviccs disliucl from the mechanism for controlling the admission of the explosive mixture l'or electrically controlling the admission ol' arias through said last-mentioned inlets; an ignition device for each cylinder;

coi'ipei'aling lhcrcu ith: and a Wire extending l'roin each ln'ush adaplcd lo simultaneously cucrgixc holh the ignition device and coinprcsscd gas illlllli lilll'illVllfi for each cylinder at a prcdclcrmincd time: and a switch in the ignition circuit adaplcd to control the current lo the ignil ion devices.

3. in a starting dcvicc lor explosive engines, lhe conihina! ion ol'n plurality of cylinders each provided \yuh an inlet lor the ad mission iii an cxplosivc mixture; an indei pcndcnl inlet to each cylindcr lor lhc admission of a non-cxplosivc compressed gas; dcviccs distinct from lhc mechanism for conbe i a distriluucr; a plurality ol contact hrushcs a and reak device in the circuit for electricall controlling the admission of the gas'to said cylinder; a distributor; a plurality of contact brushes cooperating therewith; and a wire extending from each brush adapted to simultaneously energize both the ignition device and admission device for each cylinder at a predetermined time.

4. In a starting device for ex losive engines, the combination of a plura ity of cylinders each provided with an inlet, for the admisison of an explosive mixture; an, independent inlet to each cylinder for the admission of com ressed gas; an ignition device for each cy mder; an electrically-operated valve adapted to control the admission of compressed gas to each cylinder; a distributer provided with a plurality of segments;

and means for connecting in multiple the ignition device and electrically-operated valve of each cylinder with one of said segments.

5. In a starting'device for explosive enders each rovided with an inlet for the admission 0 compressed gas; an ignition device for each cylinder; ,anelectrically-operated valve adapted to control the admission gines, the combination of a pluralityof cylinof compressed gas to each cylinder; a distributer provided with a plurality of se ments and means for 'connectin in multip e the ignition device and electrica ly-operated valve of each cylinder with one of said segments.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass. this 29th day of June, 1907. i i

HAROLDH. BROWN Witnesses:

WALTER E. LoMBARD, EDNA C. CLEVELAND. 

